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Sunday, 11 November 2012

Kerela to assemble BrahMos air version

The world’s heaviest supersonic air-to-ground missile will be made in
Kerala. The integration of the air version of supersonic missiles is all
set to begin at BrahMos Aerospace Thiruvananthapuram Limited (BATL).
The integration complex, where missile parts from various defence
research and development centres will be pieced together, will produce
12 missiles a year. The 2.5-tonne air version will be fitted
on Sukhoi fighters.
The Su-30s are being redesigned to enable them to carry the heavy missiles. The missile will be fitted on the belly of the aircraft. The launcher has also been designed and made at BATL.
Structural changes will have to be made on the aircraft to equip it to carry such heavy missile. Russian and Indian experts are preparing separate structural plans, sources said. The two plans, sources said, will be studied by a joint team of Indo-Russian defence scientists and a single plan of action adopted.
The Su-30s will be redesigned at the Nasik unit of the Hindustan
Aeronautical Limited. Missiles integrated in Thiruvananthapuram will be
taken to Nasik and they will be fired from the Su-30s at the Chandipur range
in Odisha. “It will be fired to test its air-to-ground and air-to-sea
precision,” said Dr A Sivathanu Pillai, CEO & MD of BrahMos
Aerospace.
The IAF has placed an order for more than 40 missiles. The plan,
sources said, is to raise two Su-30 squadrons as specialized BrahMos
strike teams. This is seen as a key strategic combination as it blends
the speed and agility of Sukhois with the supersonic character of
BrahMos.
Preliminary work on the missiles has already begun at BATL. Defence minister A K Antony will dedicate the facility on November 14.